England have named Warwickshire all-rounder Jacob Bethell in the squad for the three-Test tour of New Zealand with Jamie Smith set to miss the trip due to the birth of his first child.
Jordan Cox will keep wicket in Smith’s absence with Bethell – who, like Cox, is uncapped at Test level – added to the 16-player group as batting cover for the series which starts on November 28.
Vice-captain Ollie Pope remained in place despite averaging 11 and recording a top score of 29 in Pakistan’s 2-1 series defeat.
Please use Chrome browser for more accessible video player
We look back at Ollie Pope’s struggles against Pakistan, a series where he averaged just 11
The first New Zealand Test in Christchurch is followed by games in Wellington from 6 December and Hamilton from 14 December.
Barbados-born Bethell, 21, averages 25.44 in 20 first-class matches and is yet to score a century – he had a best of 93 against Nottinghamshire at the start of the 2024 season.
But he made some impressive middle-order cameos with the bat against Australia in ODI and T20I cricket in September in his first taste of the international game.
He hit a 15-ball Vitality Blast for Birmingham Bears against Northamptonshire this summer.
Please use Chrome browser for more accessible video player
The classic commentator’s curse hit Michael Atherton when Bethell was dismissed in the second ODI against Australia
Bethell also bowls left-arm spin – which he struck four times in five ODIs against Australia – although that has produced just seven wickets at an average of 96.14 in red-ball cricket.
Bethell, Cox and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed – who was then retained in the squad as one of three spinners, along with Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir – will link up with New Zealand’s Test group at the end of their white-ball commitments in the West. Indies.
Cox to keep wicket in New Zealand
Cox, who was England’s reserve batsman in Pakistan, scored 918 runs at an average of 65.57 for Essex in the County Championship Division One this summer, hitting four hundreds.
He has only kept wicket in six first-class games and has not worn gloves in red-ball cricket since June 2023.
Cox will keep wicket for England in the absence of Jamie Smith
England coach Brendon McCullum said earlier this month, when news broke of Smith’s possible absence: “New Zealand is a comfortable place to keep wickets and it’s good to see Cox.
“He’s been solid. He’s been really disruptive in everything he’s done, one of those guys you look at and say he’s got a high ceiling in terms of talent, especially with the bat in his hand.”
Cox’s selection as wicketkeeper probably suggests that Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes, both dropped after last season’s 4-1 defeat in India, may have played their final Tests.
Pope trudges off after a low score against Pakistan
Pope, meanwhile, was strongly supported by McCullum after the loss to Pakistan.
“We know when Popey comes in he’s going to score big. It’s not easy to beat No.3,” said McCullum, who will also become England’s white-ball head coach at the start of 2025.
“I know Popey will be disappointed with the volume of runs he has achieved. I expect him to be back in New Zealand and we will make sure he has the support to do so.”
Please use Chrome browser for more accessible video player
Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain said England were exposed to spinning pitches in Pakistan
New Zealand have become the first away team to win a Test series in India since 2012, when they held England 1-1 when they hosted Ben Stokes’ side in early 2023.
England’s Test tour of New Zealand
- First test: 28 November-2 December (Christchurch)
- Second test: December 6-10 (Wellington)
- Third test: December 14-18 (Hamilton)
